In view of universal elementary education (UEE) and proposed universal secondary education (USE) the number of seats for vocational education and training is estimated at 3.3 billion whereas at present the capacity to train the personnel is 3.3 million. In order to achieve this, it will be necessary to use innovative methods like e-Learning, ODL virtual classroom and generally speaking much greater use of ICT. A strategy from the point of view of open Vocational Education Programme (VEP) through distance learning mode is suggested in this line.
The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) offers Vocational EducationalCourses in the major areas of Agriculture, Business and Commerce, Engineering and Technology, Health and Paramedical, Home Science and HospitalityManagement, Computer and IT related sectors, and various other GeneralServices Sectors through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode of Education. At present NIOS offers 70 Vocational Education Courses in the above mentioned areas. During Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-08 to 2011-12), NIOS proposes toincrease the number of courses from 72 to 200. The enrolment in the Vocational Education Courses is proposed to be increased from 22000 in 2006-07 to 3 lakh in 2011-12.
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NIOS, offering 70 Vocational Education Courses at present, will expand its programme to offer about 200 Courses by the end of XI Plan |
NIOS takes special care of education of disadvantaged through the Accredited Institutions for Education of Disadvantaged (SAIED). Out of 60 SAIEDs, 27 SAIEDs are offering Vocational Education Courses. The number of SAIEDs for Vocational Courses is proposed to be increased from 27 in 2006-07 to 100 by the end of Eleventh Plan.
In order to cope with the challenge of providing Vocational Education Courses to a large number of youth and adults, the Open Schooling system is required to be upscaled substantially. NIOS, offering 70 Vocational Education Courses atpresent, will expand its programme to offer about 200 Courses by the end of XI Plan. The State Open Schools (SOSs) are also required to offer need based Open Vocational Education Courses preferably in Regional Medium.
In order to operationalise the Open Vocational Programmes effectively in India, NIOS has developed a Draft Curriculum Framework in Open Schooling (CFOS ). The CFOS include guidelines related to (i) Resources, (ii) Evaluation and Certification, (iii) Manpower Assessment and Need Analysis, and (iv) Programme Planning and Quality Management.
Labour Market Information System
will be established to collect the necessary information on the skill requirements and skilled manpower needs for different sectors of economy. This will be done in collaboration with CISCO, CII, CIDC, IFCO foundation, IMA, RCI, HCL, Microsoft, APTECH, MICO BOSCH, etc. NIOS has already entered into agreements with IMA, RCI, CISCO, CIDC, IFFCO foundation.
Industry-Institution collaboration and similar collaboration
with other sectors will be established for identification of manpower, development of sector-wise skill profiles, identification of courses, development of modular competency based curricula and learning materials, experts for providing training, workplace training /in-plant training, competency based assessment of trainees by the assessors, competency based joint certification, sharing of resources and placement of students.
In order to develop Vocational Education Infrastructure in rural areas, one of the interventions of NIOS is in the form of Rural Community Workshops (RCWs ) as prototype infrastructure training -cum
